Nice Day To Start Again
by Hardly Here
Summary: The Miz makes a new years resolution in the company of John Cena. Secret Santa 2009 fic for Esha Napoleon.


_**I've had this idea floating around for a while now, since I was in France for Christmas and it snowed and was cold, and it felt really, really weird. Being Australian, Christmas = sun, shorts, thongs (the kind you wear on your feet) and barbecues. Switching hemispheres is disorienting XD**_

**Secret Santa 2009 fic for Esha Napoleon, de pairings be Cena/THE Miz. Marginally less hard than t'other one ^_^**

What kind of a fucked up country were they in where it was hot as hell on New Year's Eve? Mike shifted uncomfortably on the bench on which he sat, grumbling to himself. Whose stupid idea had it been to go to Australia? Goddamn.

There was a New Year's party for the entire roster, but Mike wasn't about to spend his night in a bar full of people. Too much body heat for a stuffy, confined room. Ugh. If only there was a way to get out of this blasted weather that didn't involve too much effort.

It was the reason he was sitting out on a park bench in the middle of woop woop (he was sure that wasn't the _real_ name of the town), dreaming of snow and ice and other cold things. The kind of temperature where warmth was a source of comfort, not a pain in the ass. He tilted his head back and exhaled roughly, rubbing a hand wearily over his eyes.

Wrong. That's how it felt. Just wrong.

"You too, huh." The voice made him jump, and he stared up at the newcomer.

"Oh, hey Cena." The man in question plonked himself down on the bench next to him, sighing.

"Mike, I've told you a million times, my name's John, you can call me John."

There was an awkward silence while Mike looked away, a little embarrassed.

"Yeah, I know. But I spent so long with _other_ John and, well, he was the _only _John. For me. I must sound like a moron."

"Well, that is pretty weird. I mean, not that it's a bad thing. I mean, _you're _not weird. You're normal. I just mean 'cos John's such a common name and all, and well..."

"It's fine, I getcha," Mike winked.

"I'd pat you on the shoulder or something but I don't think you'd enjoy it."

"Unnecessary effort," Agreed Mike, and the two of them laughed, and the awkwardness melted away to a comfortable quiet for a few moments.

"You know, I heard that you can see the fireworks from the north side of the hotel. My room's on that side; you wanna come?"

"Ehhh..." the thought of moving didn't sound too good, although being in a room with Cena did have a bit of an appeal...

"It's air conditioned, remember."

"I'll drive."

***

Mike would later swear that it had been Cena's idea, but nevertheless the two of them - having dialled room service for a few drinks – ended up in their underwear, a beer apiece, sitting side by side on Cena's bed, looking out at the fireworks.

"You know Mike, it was while watching the fireworks at new years that I first realised I liked... men." He chuckled and took another drink.

"I was with my girlfriends family at the time, and I just sorta clicked... and I realised I wasn't in love with her, I was in love with her brother."

Mike laughed and playfully knocked Cena in the shoulder with his head.

"You ass. Did you get together?"

Cena shook his head, smiling.

"I never told them, I just broke up, started over, you know?"

"Started over..." echoed Mike, swishing the contents of his bottle around aimlessly.

The two of them fell silent as the last of the fireworks exploded into their fiery glory, then left the world once again dark, silent, and aimless. The millions of people who, for a few magical minutes had been united in their celebration of the new year returned their attention to the more immediate and mundane aspects of their life – the two men sitting side by side on a bed in a hotel room being no exception.

"I met John at a new year's party, you know."

Cena stiffened, feeling tension rising between them again. He always felt uncomfortable at the mention of 'the other John' around Mike. His friend was still hurting, and it was all he could do to stop himself from gathering him into his own arms and kissing it all away. He had no idea whether it would break down this invisible barrier John had created, or simply build a new one. And it wasn't his place to find out.

Mike suddenly shivered.

"Jeez, how high did you turn that air con?" He shifted almost imperceptibly towards Cena.

"I dunno, high as it went."

Mike shook his head, smiling.

"Anyway, it seems fitting now, you know. It's the first day of the new year again."

"Fitting for what?"

Mike smiled and shifted still closer, laying his head on the other man's shoulder.

"Letting him go. Starting over." His hand found its way around Cena's waist, and came to rest on his hip, drawing them still closer.

"That's a good idea don't you think, John?"


End file.
